Over the years, the girls soccer team has struggled to retain a head coach. Each of the last five years has seen a different head coach come through the locker rooms. Yet Mike Adcock has been there for it all serving as assistant coach.
“I feel like, with a new coach, you always have to figure out what their style is,” said senior Sadie Jones. “But Coach Mike has been with me since 6th grade, so he’s just been a constant in my life for six years pretty much, which is half of my soccer experience.”
Adcock has been coaching soccer for 30 years. The past eight years he has been on the Trojan’s sideline with the women’s soccer team. He has also assisted the Shallotte Middle School soccer program, both the girls and boys teams. While he did once serve as head coach for the high school team, he had to step back due to the pressure of running his business, Splish Spash Power Washing. Yet he continues to be there for the girls as assistant coach.
“He cares about us a lot,” said junior Grace Migliore. “It’s nice to know that we have a coach that cares about us through everything.”
While Adcock never played soccer during his high school career he participated in football, wrestling, and baseball. He then continued baseball at the collegiate level at Campbell University. He then settled down with his wife Jennifer Adcock. They have two daughters, Mia and Alex. Once they decided softball wasn’t their thing, they started to play soccer and Adcock began to coach his girls.
“I like to motivate the players and be behind them,” said Adcock. “I don’t like to degrade them and get all on them. I try to lift them up and play off motivation.”
When observing Adcock coaching you might notice his coaching style being very relaxed. He closely observes the game from the sidelines and will pull you aside to help fix mistakes, compared to other coaching styles that are more tempered. Adcock stays calm and composed when talking to players and you can truly tell how much he cares about his team just through observation.
“I have had him as a coach since middle school,” said junior Layla Thomas. “He’s not only a good coach and a good person. He’s a great role model and he teaches us things in soccer and in life”
Adcock has coached many of his players through middle school and on to high school and if that’s not the case he is very welcoming to newcomers. Adcock doesn’t only teach these players soccer, he teaches them plenty of other life lessons. He’s a role-model to all of his players and his players respect and love him for it. His kindness and ability to make anyone smile is appreciated throughout all those he encounters.
“He is very enthusiastic,” said Migliore. “He always lightens the mood and makes us look forward to practices and games.”
